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Floripa Surf Hostel is a clean, welcoming and relaxed hostel run by Juan, a really friendly and incredibly knowledgeable host. If you’re looking for a relaxed, friendly but well-run place to stay very close to a fabulous beach then this is an excellent choice. Close to the surfer-friendly Campeche beach towards the south western area of the island it is in a well-to-do neighbourhood, that’s quiet and chilled out.

The rooms are clean and vary in size from the hostel shared room (for those on a tight budget) to private double rooms with their own bathrooms and kitchens – a great option for those that want the privacy of a hotel but not the expense! I stayed in a double room with my own kitchen and bathroom. The kitchen I had was equipped very generously with a large fridge, microwave, cooker, sink and basics for cooking including cultery and plates and pans. Brilliant. And the shower room was clean and generous.

Juan is incredibly accommodating, very giving great advice on where to enjoy the delights of the island and organising trips out for those that don’t have transport. Bicycles are available to guests which is great.

Outside hammocks hang and in the heat of the afternoon you will often find the hammocks filled with relaxed guests reading their books or catching up with Facebook updates, an outside cooking area and dining area is a lovely addition as it allows guests to chat and relax with each other and was always kept clean. Surf boards and colourful murals give the place a sense of the surfer approach to loving nature and the atmosphere created here is one of wanting people to feel comfortable and to enjoy the nature and themselves as well as respecting each other – a lovely place to be!

Photo uploadd here is from the hostel's own website.

I've been in here twice now and both times I was astonished at the rudeness and hostility of the serving staff! The 2nd time (thinking I’d give them a second chance as it may have been a fluke) I was hoping for an improvement, didn’t happen!

We were checking the board and were told to hurry up (!) as we were keeping people waiting (we really were not taking ages we were trying to figure out which flavours were ice cream and which were yoghurt as it wasn’t clear and when we asked about yoghurt flavours we were told there was only one: Greek style) and we were then told that we should eat it take away… !!!

It was NOT a busy time – there were 3 tables free in doors and the bench out side was empty (I’ve seen this place busy and that was NOT busy!)

Disappointed at this needless rudeness I asked the girl who had been serving us for a feedback form – I was told there were none, then the same girl who had been so rude to us she would hand on my comments to the manager. (I doubt she would of had I actually told her I was going to complain about how rude she had just been to me and my guest!!) Then when I said I'd look on the web site, she abruptly told me there wasn't one, and she must have then twigged that I was going to make a complaint as she was then obsequiously started to be helpful.. Pathetic and brought what I was hoping to be a good experience down to a bad one…

I can go to plenty of other places in London where I can not only have great tasting gelati but also wonderful happy and smiling service

I will be voting with my feet and I will NOT be going back here the ice cream was of a good quality but what good is lovely ice cream if the service leaves a sour taste in your mouth?!

Theo’s café is a great little place for eating especially as it’s a little off the beaten track and so you can still have a tasty lunch without loads of noise, it’s cosy inside with a lovely big table for bigger groups and small little singer sewing machine tables forming smaller tables for pairs of diners.

The prices I thought, were excellent with a fiver covering a generous main course, which included a salad. They also do breakfast and the staff were friendly and generally it’s a lovely place that feels a bit like a local secret. Well worth it if you don’t want to lunch in one of the more tourist laden restaurants around the Tate Modern area – and the coffee was excellent too.

The Table Café is local to my day job – and it’s where I go for fabulous food. They do incredible granola (I know… who raves about granola right!!?) I do – since I had theirs because simply: it is fabulous. The breakfast is my particular favourite meal here although they serve a great lunches and the table service is fast, but it’s busy at lunch times so get in early! They also deliver locally so if you’re doing a morning meeting you could have the granola delivered!! (Obsessed? Moi!?) The coffee…. Oh the coffee, it’s good, it’s very good. For an alternative to chain restaurants in the area this is a great place for a meal. My tip for this one – treat yourself and have breakfast here! It ROCKS! Honest!

This incredible little restaurant caught my eye with all the fabulous fresh ingredients on show through the window.

Taking a seat indoors, I was warmly greeted and given a table in a wonderfully unpretentious room, which felt like being in someone’s home in terms of the food and cooking that was being done as I sat and enjoyed the atmosphere. Waiting for my thai green curry dish I watched as group after group of people who seemed to know it well came to enquire for tables, some had to wait as it was incredibly popular, some went away for a drink and then came back later to be welcomed to a table.

The food was delicious, freshly cooked and the flavours were just magical. An authentic and wonderful restaurant, with a friendly and gentle atmosphere, where the smells of the cooking engulf you gently and work your taste buds into a mini frenzy – ready for a meal that did NOT disappoint!

Price wise this was reasonable especially considering the quality of the ingredients and great cooks!

I recommend this lovely little restaurant even though I’m tempted to keep it all to myself it’s too good a place not to recommend!